Update news for 2012-01-11 - New training assignments and NPC AI

Spotlight features

New training assignments

This patch introduces a brand new tutorial assignment line, which now features an initial 5-part general line, intended to give new players a little taste of both combat and industrial careers. Completing general training unlocks a separate combat and industrial line, each of them with a fitting combat or industrial light robot as a final reward (both can be completed separately). We’ve also improved the level 0 assignments, which are meant to provide a stepping stone until you reach level 1s, or lose your first light robot and have to fall back to an Arkhe.

Improved NPC AI

The latest iteration of NPC AI gives them the ability to manage their own accumulator properly, and also make them more aware of line-of-sight issues. In practice this means that they won’t deplete their energy anymore by trying to shoot players hiding behind walls, and thus become easy prey for them. They also got a much improved pathfinding algorithm, so they will be less prone to getting stuck, and it will be even harder to shake them off. These changes mostly affect higher ranked NPCs, as the lower ones are slow anyway or didn't have accumulator management issues.